Paddy Hannan has long been recognised as the first person to find gold in the region in the June 1893 with Irishmen Tom Flanagan and Dan Shea. The men found 3 kg of gold in one day, the equivalent of an average year’s wages, at a site originally named Hannan’s, close to what was later named Mount Charlotte; despite the wealth they found, Flanagan died far from wealthy in Bendigo in 1900, Dan Shea lived until 1908 but was no wealthier than Flanagan, and Hannan died in Victoria in 1925 after receiving a pension.
Tom Flanagan’s Grave at the White Hills Cemetery in Bendigo ‘Copyright Karen Mather 2016
The following details and photographs were kindly send to me by a reader, Karen Mather, she gives her permission to reproduce them here:-
‘Thomas Flanagan was baptised on January 1st 1832 near Ennis, County Clare, Ireland. His parents were Michael Flanagan and Mary Lyons. This was confirmed by a report from the Clare Heritage Centre in 1998. Thomas left the family farm in 1860 to sail to Melbourne on the William Kirk. His older brother John (1829-1864) had sailed on the Marco Polo in 1858, another brother went to America. Thomas was in Bendigo, Victoria in 1864, where he registered his brother John’s death of tuberculosis.
Thomas’ own death certificate is dated November 16th 1899. He was lodging with his late brother’s wife, Margaret O’Halloran, in Howard Street, Quarry Hill, Bendigo, Vic. Unfortunately the certificate contains errors: it gives age at death as 58, but since he was baptised in 1832, he was actually 67 years old. And the certificate states that he was in Australia for 49 years, but 39 is the correct span of years. These mistakes probably arose because Margaret O’Halloran would have been the informant and , like most people of her age and class, she was illiterate. Frequently in those days, people did not know their exact ages, or other details of childhood. The mistakes on the death certificate have filtered down through time, and even in 1993, Thomas’ headstone was incorrect.
I travelled to Bendigo on April 7th 2016 to photograph Tom’s grave and to see Howard Street, Quarry Hill, where the Flanagans lived from 1886 onwards. I took this photograph of the grave, which is in the White Hills Cemetery in Bendigo, Victoria.
Copyright Karen Mather 2016, Howard Street Quarry Hill Bendigo
The second photograph is of the street where Tom died, whilst boarding with his sister-in-law, Margaret O’Halloran (married names Flanagan and then Higgs) as recorded on his death certificate. The weatherboard house that was the family home has gone. It has been replaced with a brick house that is partly shown on the left of the photo.’
Tom Flanagan’s Grave at the White Hills Cemetery in Bendigo ‘Copyright Karen Mather 2016
In the book “Golden Days’ by Jules Raeside there is this account given by Dan Shea of their remarkable find:-
I came down from the 90 mile to Coolgardie about the beginning of June 1893. I intended to go to Lake Lefroy, but hearing of the Mount Youle rush, I made enquiries, which resulted in my borrowing a couple of horses; with Pat Hannan and Flanagan, I started from the 90 mile rock that afternoon. We camped at the rocks that night and resumed our journey the following morning. Four miles further on we found about 200 men camped with their teams. Seven miles further on there was another large body of men camped by some gnama holes. A mate of mine was camped with them and from him I made further enquiries about the rush. He advised us to push on. Two miles further and we met a prospector and a black boy with nine horses. I remarked to Hannan ‘theres something on anyhow’. We pushed on to the ridges north of Mt Charlotte. The country resembled Nanine slightly and I said to Hannan “I believe we have struck golden country and I’m going to tucker here till I get water”. The next morning I picked up a quartz specimen with about four ounces of gold on the east side of Mt Charlotte. Hannan and I decided to trace our steps back in the direction of Coolgardie for water leaving Flanagan behind. After collecting water from overnight rains we returned to Mt Charlotte where Flanagan showed him a handful of red gold he had found, he said there were specks of gold everywhere.
We pegged three mens’ ground on what is now ‘Hannan’s Reward’ and then did some hand prospecting getting about another 10 ounces. On the following day we got about 94 ounces of gold by hand prospecting. We then held a consultation and we agreed that Hannan would go to Coolgardie and lodge a ‘Reward Claim’.
“And so the story begins” !!!!!!!!
Moya Sharp
Latest posts by Moya Sharp (see all)
- The Krakouer Boys – a family saga - 08/02/2025
- The Billy Can – a swagmans friend - 08/02/2025
- The McCann Hoax – burned in effigy - 08/02/2025
Another coffee and fabulous read on this Sunday morning! Thank you Moya🙏..❤️
Thanks Nicholas!